I just checked out the Anthy ending of the game, and... well, let's just say I felt like sharing. This is the first part: I'll post the rest later.

For most of the game, the Nameless Protagonist (here named D-ko again, because why not) has displayed a keen interest in the dueling game and the Rose Bride. She's also delivered a steady stream of terrible puns, bad jokes, and two performances of the Slippery Mambo, which seem to have quietly amused Anthy.

It's now the day of the duel, and Utena is at her very flakiest. D-ko wants to go talk to someone else about her possibly imminent death. She's been hanging out with Miki quite a bit, but another option presents itself...

D-ko:What should I do...?Is there anyone I can talk to besides Utena?

(Mysterious "Anthy Point" noise)

CHOICE:TougaSaionjiJuriMikiAnthy

D-ko:Hey, Utena... where's Anthy?

Utena:Huh, she's not here?I thought she was here just a moment ago, but...Well, she probably went to the rose garden.

D-ko:Okay... I'll go look for her there.

D-ko:Oh, Anthy! Here you are.

Anthy:Yes. Did you want something?

D-ko:Yeah... that is...What should I do...(I need to broach the subject somehow.)

Anthy:Yes?

D-ko:Um, yeah...Hey, Anthy?Why do you do this Rose Bride stuff?

Anthy:Because those are the rules.

D-ko:And you're okay with that?You don't want to be more like a normal girl,and do stuff like chatting with friends,and eating yummy foods, and chatting with friends?Don't you hate being treated as a prize for the duels?

Anthy:No.

D-ko:That's really weird!Hey, c'mon. Quit being the Rose Bride.And be more like a normal girl...

Anthy:Why?

D-ko:"Why"?

Anthy:Do I seem that pathetic to you?Or is it that you don't want the duels to happen?

D-ko:Huh?

Anthy:You're in trouble right now.Didn't you come here seeking something from me?Do you want answers?Or me, myself?Do you want me... want the Rose Bride?With me, you'll obtain the Power to Revolutionize the World.If you have that, you won't disappear.Isn't that what you're thinking?

D-ko:What should I do...?Is it that I don't want to disappear?Or...

Anthy:Please choose. Answers, or me?

CHOICE:I want answersI want the Rose Bride

If we say that we want answers, things suddenly get back on track... like so.

Chigusa:I understand that, Rose Bride-san.It's fine. I won't lose to any princes or princesses any longer.

The D-ko/Anthy scene here caught me by surprise. This is Anthy at her most cynical and witch-like, a side of herself that she rarely displays openly. Her words cut deeply into D-ko's pretenses, seeking to expose her motives. Anthy knows that D-ko is desperate and has turned to her as a last resort... why else would someone seek out a witch? But she's comfortable with that. Anthy will give D-ko what she wants, but it's up to D-ko to deal with the consequences.

Yeah, because that went so well for your Black Rose Duelist and Akio Car-riding alternate selves, D-ko. Then again, this D-ko has an advantage they didn't have:

...A decent shot of her stylin' dueling outfit.

Utena:You!?

D-ko:I'm your opponent, Tenjou Utena.

Utena:Why are you...?

Anthy:This is a proper duel.Utena-sama, the sword...

Utena:I've got no choice.Himemiya!

Anthy:Roses of the noble castle,Power of Dios that sleeps within me,heed your master and reveal to us...

Utena:The power to revolutionize the world!

(the bells ring)

(the sound of a sharp smack with a squeaky hammer)

Utena:Huh?

D-ko:Let's fight, Tenjou Utena!

Utena:What's going on!?

(squeaky hammer smack)

Anthy:Here, Utena-sama, (take this!)

Utena:Eh? Eh? Eh?

D-ko:Alriiiiight!I've taken the Rose Bride, Tenjou Utena!

Anthy:Please cheer up, Tenjou-san.

Utena:But, Himemiya...

D-ko:Awww, know when to give up, Utena!Himemiya Anthy is my rose!A flower that blooms only for me!Oooooo-ho-ho-ho!

So, I guess that's the point of the "gag" choices... only D-ko is wacky enough to adapt to a sudden squeaky hammer battle? Of course, that doesn't explain why it became a squeaky hammer battle in the first place. vv

Anthy:I am the Rose Bride.I will do everything as you wish.If there's anything you want, please let me know.

D-ko:Of course, because I'm the victor of the duels!(Those are my rights.)So, what should I have you do first?Well, (I'm looking forward to a lot of things,)but first, how about you wash my back for me?

Anthy:How is it? Does it feel good?

D-ko:Yeah... scrub a little bit more to the left.

Anthy:Over here?

D-ko:Yeah, there! That feels so good!

Anthy:Alright, we're done.What would you like to do next?

D-ko:Alright, next I'll wash you!Sit over there.

Anthy:Thank you, master.

Okay, it's a little weird for D-ko to suddenly go on a power trip and start ordering Anthy around, and for Anthy to start calling her "master" (goshujin-sama, in this case), but at least this can't get any creepi-

D-ko: (gleefully)Oopsie, my hand slipped ~!

Anthy: (not sounding upset)Oh my, master, not there...!

D-ko:You're the Rose Bride, aren't you?Are you going to talk back to your fiancee like that?

Anthy:Ah, please forgive me!

D-ko:Ehh, never, never!(Yah, yah, yaaah!)

Anthy:Ahhh ~!

...there are no words.

(early in the morning; birds are chirping)

Utena:C'monnn!I'm here to challenge you to a duel!

(in the dueling arena)

Utena:(Let's make this best two out of three.)

D-ko:(yawns heavily)It's no good.I was up all night playing with Anthy,so I'm sooo sleepy...!

D-ko:Gaaah!No way...!

Anthy:Please cheer up, Kageno-san.

(the bells ring)

And that's the Anthy ending. I knew it was a joke ending, but I have to say I wasn't really expecting it to be an over-the-top parody of Utena's lesbian and BDSM subtext. In fact, that might have been the last thing I was expecting.

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

I've seen the screenshots in the gallery, but I didn't know it was going to be like this...

"But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we'll not fail." ~ Lady Macbeth; Macbeth - Act One, Scene 7"Crying is such hypocrisy. How can happiness cause the same reaction as sadness? Does pleasure share the same edge of the blade of life as pain?" - What His Crimson Eyes Believe in: Ch. 2

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

I reiterate my previously stated offer to have your babies.

Also, I can't decide whether this ending is awesome or traumatic. Awematic? Trausome? Does the obviously rigged duel have anything to do with Anthy just wantin' to get it on for a night before resuming business as usual? Or did the scenario writers suddenly switch from LSD to cocaine? GAH! MY BRAIN!

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

^I believe Trausome would fit best.

Disturbing, but ultimately hilarious. I lol'd. Thanks for bringing this to us, Dallbun!

"My blood is steel, my heart is glass... I have emerged unvanquished from many battles... Never have I been put to flight, but neither have I stood victorious... This bearer stands here alone, forging steel atop a hill of blades... for that reason, my life has never needed meaning. My body has always...

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

Absolutely! In this ending, we learn that the real purpose of Utena's custodianship of the Rose Bride is that the strong bond implicit in their union imprisons the most pervy tendencies of Kunihiko Ikuhara. When that bond is broken, Ikuni goes all author-voyeur and must be recontained before he can write more slashfic about his own show!

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

teyhy wrote:

Oh, she basically sounds like she does after her first duel against Touga. Shocked, and making a desperate appeal to Anthy. It's just much less drawn out.

By the way, the first person who cosplays as Duelist!Protagonist wins at Utena. I'm just sayin'. (Bonus points if they're part of a large Utena cosplay group. That also includes Chigusa.) I quite like the design. It's rather Black Rose-esque, which makes sense because D-ko wears it in all three of her possible duels, but the color is a little brighter than the actual Black Rose Duelists' outfits. It also has that interesting vertical black stripe. I have no idea how it's supposed to close, but whatever.

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

Sweet jesus thank you. And yay for the Psyduck emote, I don't think any other fits that better. I think at times I'm surprised there's not MORE of this stuff.

Yasha and I were talking about that, that really for an anime made in the late 90s it's pretty odd for there NOT to be more KEKE OMAKE made for it. Like the SKU CHIBI special where they duel with sausages and Akio drives a bumper car. But when you consider Ikuhara's idea of omake is obvious lesbianism and implied bdsm, well....

Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade. ~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

Dallbun, you are fantastic for translating all of this for us. I must admit the Anthy ending really is both hilarious and traumatizing all at the same time, thanks to D-ko's "Hurr hurr, I'm your master " attitude jump. It's certainly not a bad thing, but definitely came as a shock to say the least.

The usual Utena mindfuck, even in a gag ending. The shot of Utena konked out and D-Ko looking triumphant is hilarious to me.

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

Um, y'all? I think this is my favorite ending. And here's why:

1. This is what I consider the biggest piece of character development for Anthy in the entire series. You don't really get to see witch!Anthy in full bloom at all during the show itself. If I didn't know any better, I'd almost bet that she gave this same speech to Dios before their Fall From Grace.

2. Hot Anthy-on-D-ko action.

3. SQUEAKY HAMMER BATTLE! I demand a cosplay re-enactment.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again.It's so far and out of sight.I really need someone to talk to and nobody elseKnows how to comfort me tonight.

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

Raven Nightshade wrote:

This is what I consider the biggest piece of character development for Anthy in the entire series. You don't really get to see witch!Anthy in full bloom at all during the show itself. If I didn't know any better, I'd almost bet that she gave this same speech to Dios before their Fall From Grace.

More importantly, a rose-tinted bath scene might have been where the Akio/Anthy sexy times were initiated.

I echo all the "woah" and "yay" and "I want your body, Dallbun" sentiments!

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

With the ways things are going, I'm surprised the ending didn't turn out more like this...

Utena: (loud declaration) C'mooon! I'm here to duel you! (She draws out her sword and boldly faces off the exhausted D-ko. However, before the victory can become complete, Anthy sneaks up behind her and crushes her brain with the Squeakinator Vibrating Blast, a squeaky hammer of unmatched power. Anthy: Oh, Miss Utena, always so brave. Unfortunately, I've decided that I want to stay with my new master from now on.Utena: No...Himemiya...why? Anthy: Frankly, Miss Utena, you're the single biggest tease to my sword of Dios since I was engaged to the entirety of the girls' volleyball team. The sight of you prancing around in those skintight hot red panties is torturous enough for the millions of people who stabbed me to go, "Oh, that's just BITCHY." I keep putting little hints around here just bending over in front of a conveniently placed baseball bat, and YOU NEVER FUCKING PICK UP THE HINT. Holy Satan, you think I like sweeping your floors? The only reason I get off on that crap is because Saionji is usually running after me, spanking my way the whole time. I know you want to save my soul and redeem my life and you love me and blah blah blah but fuck, my privates are fossilizing here. D-ko: Ah shaddup beatch and make me a grits sammich. (smashes Anthy over the head with a half-empty bottle of Miller)

We must go forward, not backward. Upward, not forward. And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

Katzenklavier wrote:

With the ways things are going, I'm surprised the ending didn't turn out more like this...

Utena: (loud declaration) C'mooon! I'm here to duel you! (She draws out her sword and boldly faces off the exhausted D-ko. However, before the victory can become complete, Anthy sneaks up behind her and crushes her brain with the Squeakinator Vibrating Blast, a squeaky hammer of unmatched power. Anthy: Oh, Miss Utena, always so brave. Unfortunately, I've decided that I want to stay with my new master from now on.Utena: No...Himemiya...why? Anthy: Frankly, Miss Utena, you're the single biggest tease to my sword of Dios since I was engaged to the entirety of the girls' volleyball team. The sight of you prancing around in those skintight hot red panties is torturous enough for the millions of people who stabbed me to go, "Oh, that's just BITCHY." I keep putting little hints around here just bending over in front of a conveniently placed baseball bat, and YOU NEVER FUCKING PICK UP THE HINT. Holy Satan, you think I like sweeping your floors? The only reason I get off on that crap is because Saionji is usually running after me, spanking my way the whole time. I know you want to save my soul and redeem my life and you love me and blah blah blah but fuck, my privates are fossilizing here. D-ko: Ah shaddup beatch and make me a grits sammich. (smashes Anthy over the head with a half-empty bottle of Miller)

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

Katzenklavier wrote: Utena: (loud declaration) C'mooon! I'm here to duel you! (She draws out her sword and boldly faces off the exhausted D-ko. However, before the victory can become complete, Anthy sneaks up behind her and crushes her brain with the Squeakinator Vibrating Blast, a squeaky hammer of unmatched power. Anthy: Oh, Miss Utena, always so brave. Unfortunately, I've decided that I want to stay with my new master from now on. Utena: No...Himemiya...why? Anthy: Frankly, Miss Utena, you're the single biggest tease to my sword of Dios since I was engaged to the entirety of the girls' volleyball team. The sight of you prancing around in those skintight hot red panties is torturous enough for the millions of people who stabbed me to go, "Oh, that's just BITCHY." I keep putting little hints around here just bending over in front of a conveniently placed baseball bat, and YOU NEVER FUCKING PICK UP THE HINT. Holy Satan, you think I like sweeping your floors? The only reason I get off on that crap is because Saionji is usually running after me, spanking my way the whole time. I know you want to save my soul and redeem my life and you love me and blah blah blah but fuck, my privates are fossilizing here. D-ko: Ah shaddup beatch and make me a grits sammich. (smashes Anthy over the head with a half-empty bottle of Miller)

Utena: but...Himemiya...I thought the mysterious person you see every Saturday satisfied those need.

Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - H. Berlioz.

Re: Let's Play! Utena SPECIAL: For Power, Perhaps

satyreyes wrote:

In this ending, we learn that the real purpose of Utena's custodianship of the Rose Bride is that the strong bond implicit in their union imprisons the most pervy tendencies of Kunihiko Ikuhara.

Giovanna wrote:

But when you consider Ikuhara's idea of omake is obvious lesbianism and implied bdsm, well....

Trench Kamen wrote:

I'm glad Saito did not have veto power over that scene. I like Ikuhara's... take on things.

I know you guys are just joking around talking about Ikuhara's influence, but I was curious and did some poking around. I am ready to shift this thread into EDUCATIONAL GEAR. (It's like high gear, but boring!)

Much as we love to blame^H^H^H^H^H praise Ikuhara for everything weird about Utena, he apparently wasn't directly involved with the game. It was supervised by Hiroaki SAKURAI (who also directed the Kodocha anime? I love this guy!), and written by Ichiro OKOUCHI. (Apparently he also wrote the screenplays for RahXephon, Wolf's Rain, Code Geass, and... Azumanga Daioh, among others? Also the two Utena novels. He gets around.)

It appears that there were co-directors: Shingo KANEKO and Toru TAKAHASHI. They both directed various episodes of Utena throughout its entire course, and were clearly as involved in the project as anyone. (Among others, Kaneko directed episode 38, and Takahashi episode 39. Props!) Series and movie animators Akemi HAYASHI and Keiko KAWASHIMA were also there for animation and visuals.

Some wiki-ish web site I found that I don't know anything about lists all four of the preceding people as members of Be-Papas alongside the first five. Of course, It also lists a raccoon named Iroiro-kun as a member of Be-Papas. I have a feeling there's a lot of information about Be-Papas out there that the English fan community hasn't been able to comb through.

As far as "core five" Be-Papas members go, the character designs were by Utena character designer Shinya HASEGAWA and Yuichiro OGURO was on-board for planning and editorial supervision. (Oh, Yuichiro Oguro. We the fandom are barely aware of your existence, because your job in Be-Papas was planning and publicity. Ain't no glory there. )